MANILA — The Metropolitan Waterworks Sewerage System (MWSS) has welcomed a proposal by Daegu City of South Korea of a government-to-government advanced water technology project in the country.
In an e-mail to the Philippine News Agency, MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco said the proposal was made by a delegation from Daegu Metropolitan City led by Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs Yon Chang Kim.
Daegu, South Korea’s third largest city, submitted a proposal for a government-to-government cooperation support for advanced water technology demand area; improvement of inefficient operation of water purification plant and sewage treatment plant; improper sewage discharge system improvement; and installation of water purification system.
“This is a welcome development for the Philippine water supply industry, particularly MWSS, following close bilateral relations forged during the recent visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to Korea early this month,” Velasco said.
Also in the Daegu delegation were Park Gihwan, Director of Investment & Trade Division; Anthony Jung, Deputy Director and Wonsuk Kee.
The cooperation project is expected to help MWSS address the problem of wastewater treatment and better water quality system.
Aside from the application of local water and sewage treatment technology, customized new method for energy enhancement of water and wastewater treatment process will be applied.
Velasco added that with regards to improper sewage discharge system improvement, the proposal, once approved, will provide for diagnosis and maintenance of pipe network to prevent sewage leakage and inflow of nonpoint pollution sources. Advanced sewage management and treatment techniques will likewise be employed.
Water purification systems, which will be installed, are expected to resolve water shortage in underdeveloped areas where water supply is not provided. Small-scale water purification systems in accordance with the size of the residents will be established, including a water intake network.
Daegu’s interest in the water industry is not new. It hosts the Korea International Water Week annually along with the World Water Forum held simultaneously where the MWSS chief along with Maynilad President Ramoncito Fernandez and Manila Water President Ferdinand dela Cruz served as resource speakers in September last year.
Velasco urged the Daegu officials to set up a water institute in the MWSS compound.
Expected to be completed by the end of 2018, the water industrial cluster has attracted investments from 20 promising companies such as Lotte Chemical.
To complement the city’s traditional industries, Daegu is focusing on knowledge and technological innovations in the development of future industries such as intelligent automobile industry, high-tech medical industry, ICT industry and energy industry.
With the government’s Build, Build, Build program, MWSS is optimistic that the proposal will be acceptable to the Philippine government, notably the MWSS Board of Trustees, to fast-track the improvement of the country’s sanitation and sewerage facilities.
Metro Manila and its environs are not yet 100 percent covered by wastewater treatment plants with actual coverage pegged at 14 percent or aggregate 22 percent to include desludging system.
MWSS concessionaires, Manila Water and Maynilad, though, are committed to achieve full coverage by the end of their concession agreements in 2037. (Ben Cal/PNA)
